Hi Paul,

If everyone in the big cardrooms gets a cut of the tips it means that the actual dealer is getting a lot less than he actually collects. I'd guess the dealers gets maybe half. Using your $1x37 hands figure, that would be $18.50 an hour. Not bad but what do you figure happens if a dealer takes a vacation? Probably gets whatever their base pay is (minimum wage?) rather than what they normally get with the tips. Or if they do get the larger amount, that means the tip "pot" is reduced on a regular basis by the people on vacation getting a cut. I doubt all Calif. cardrooms provide medical benefits either. Bottom line I suspect is being a Calif. cardroom dealer is a lot better gig than working at McDonalds or Wal-Mart but I doubt many professionals would want to trade paychecks with them.